Alberta’s ‘great communicator’ silenced by dementia

Tamara Gignac, Calgary Herald03.30.2013

On the eve of his retirement, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein takes a few moments out of his busy day to reflect on some past memories at the St Louis Hotel with old friend and biographer Don Martin. A favorite drinking spot when he was a TV reporter and later Mayor of Calgary he made his drinking spot a Calgary landmark sometimes bringing visiting business and political leaders with him for a quick beer.

In 2010, the former premier was diagnosed with the smokers’ lung condition emphysema. A year later, he learned he had a rare form of dementia.

It proved a heartbreaking outcome for Klein. The aggressive brain disease forever altered his speech and personality, robbing the larger-than-life political figure of his characteristic quick wit, barbs and cheeky one-liners.

The illness makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath, wheezing and a hacking cough. It is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada and in the majority of cases is caused by smoking.

It’s the same disease that took the lives of famed talk-show host Johnny Carson and Rat Pack crooner Dean Martin.

COPD is a terrible illness that can leave patients fighting for breath. But the biggest outpouring of support and sympathy came in 2011, when Klein’s family was given the grim news that he suffered from frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a degenerative condition with symptoms that include the shrinking and atrophying of the frontal and temporal lobes.

The cause of FTD is unknown, but it’s believed some families have a predisposition to it. There’s no known cure or treatment and the drugs used in patients with Alzheimer’s disease do not work as different areas of the brain are affected. Rod Love, Klein’s best friend and longtime adviser, said it was tragic to see such a powerful voice silenced by the disease.

And as terrible as it was to say a final goodbye to Klein Friday, it was much worse to watch him suffer and fight to express himself, Love noted.

“You don’t want to see the great communicator struggle. I think for anybody who has a loved one suffering from any form of dementia, they’ll know what I’m talking about.” he said.

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